ARIA CHART WATCH #471

It’s ARIA Chart Watch time again and there’s quite a bit of movement on both charts, all revolving around one artist in particular.
Said artist has a staggering 17 songs inside the ARIA top 50 (19 in the top 100) and most of those are on debut.
Of course, all of those debuts on the singles chart has resulted in a pretty convincing No.1 on the albums chart.
Who is it?
Welcome to edition #471 of ARIA Chart Watch.

SINGLES
Naturally, that artist is none other than Post Malone and his dominance of both charts this week kicks off with a No.1 for his single ‘Psycho’ for the very first time.
Despite the song notching up its tenth week on the ARIA singles chart – and a double platinum certification for sales in excess of 140,000 units for good measure – it’s never been higher than No.2.
Until now, that is; ‘Psycho’ jumping from No.3 to No.1 as the performer’s album ‘Beerbongs & Bentleys’ makes its presence felt.
Ariana Grande’s single ‘No Tears Left To Cry’ would have relinquished the No.1 position this week in any case; it drops from No.1 to No.3, leaving Drake’s ‘Nice For What’ steady at No.2. The latter also now sports a gold certification for sales in excess of 35,000 units.
The Post Malone chart dominance takes its next step with a No.4 debut for ‘Better Now’.
Down in No.7, The Weeknd’s single ‘Call Out My Name’ also goes gold, while just two places lower, Drake’s former No.1 smash ‘God’s Plan’ hits its triple platinum strides (210,000 units down and counting).
A No.10 debut for Post Malone’s ‘Paranoid’ makes it three entries inside the top ten for the US rapper. It’s quickly followed by a 21 place jump (No.33 to No.12) for his previous No.1 smash ‘Rockstar’ and a No.14 debut for ‘Ball For Me’.
A number of other artists’ tracks are getting caught in the crossfire as a result. But that hasn’t stopped the Kendrick Lamar/SZA single ‘All The Stars’ from notching up a fresh new double platinum accreditation (No.13 to No.18).
More new Post Malone entries; ‘Spoil My Night’ at No.19 and ‘Rich & Sad’ at No.21.
Dua Lipa’s ‘IDGAF’ tumbles as a result of all the new action. The former top five hit drops from No.12 to No.23, but does hit a new double platinum mark in the process.
The good news for 5 Seconds Of Summer is that despite all these new entries from Post Malone, their single ‘Youngblood’ has managed to weather the storm, improving its chart fortunes by two to a new peak of No.24.
But there’s more Post Malone to follow; new entries for ‘Same Bitches’ (No.25) and ‘Over Now’ (No.27).
He then occupies four chart positions in a row.’Candy Paint’ is up 35 from No.64 to No.29, ‘Stay’ is new at No.30, ‘I Fall Apart’ is down eight to No.31 and ‘Zach And Codeine’ is new at No.32.
Just below, Justin Timberlake’s ‘Say Something’ loses 12 positions (No.22 to No.34). That drop would only have been one if it wasn’t for the succession of Post Malone songs hitting higher. Anne Marie’s single ‘2002’ is also down, though by eight to No.35.
Post Malone is back (No.36 on debut) with ‘Takin’ Shots’, Bazzi’s ‘Mine’ tumbles 16 to No.37 and XXXTentacion’s ‘Sad!’ loses 15 to No.40.
And still those Post Malone songs keep coming, with debuts for ‘Otherside’ (No.41), ‘Blame It On Me’ (No.43) and ’92 Explorer’ (No.44).
If, however, you want any indication of how next week may roll on the ARIA singles chart, you only have to look at the performance of the J Cole tracks that were peppering the top 100 last week.
Take the title track from his latest album ‘KOD’, for example. It entered the countdown at No.20 last week, but has plunged 25 places to No.45. His track ‘ATM’ came in at No.32. It’s down 39 places to No.71. ‘Kevin’s Heart’ was new at No.46, but it’s down 33 places to No.79. His two other top 50 entries last week (‘Photograph’ at No.41 and ‘Motiv8’ at No.47) have both exited the top 100.
Eminem and Ed Sheeran’s ‘River’ also sails towards the top 50 abyss (No.28 to No.46), while Taylor Swift’s ‘Delicate’ loses 11 to No.48.
Elsewhere, there’s a 12 place drop for Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape Of You’ (No.40 to No.52) and a huge fall for Avicii’s ‘Wake Me Up’, following on from the DJ’s sudden death. It’s down 40 places to No.54. Bad Wolves’ ‘Zombies’ is also out of the top 50 (No.42 to No.55).
Post Malone is back again with Australian chart position 18 for the week (‘Sugar Wraith’ new at No.58).
Clean Bandit & Julia Michaels’ ‘I Miss You’ was already out of the top 50 and is down just two this week to No.60. It also picks up a second platinum accreditation.
The boys from Pnau know the double platinum feeling all too well, given their track ‘Go Bang’ blasts through the 140,000 sales mark (No.49 to No.61).
A little further down, Bruno Mars & Cardi B’s ‘Finesse’ loses 15 (No.53 to No.68) and Troye Sivan’s ‘My My My’ is down 10 (No.59 to No.69), but The Chainsmokers’ new single ‘Somebody’ bullets 22 places from last week’s No.96 debut.
Good news for local talent Hayden James, whose latest single ‘Just Friends’ makes acquaintance with the No.78 position debut.
But Calum Scott’s ‘You Are The Reason’ is on its way out (No.65 to No.81).
Keith Urban’s now gold-certified single ‘Parallel Line’ pops its head back into the ARIA top 100 as the album it comes from drops at retail (No.84 on re-entry).
But Vance Joy’s ‘We’re Going Home’ is going home (No.56 to No.85) and Avicii’s ‘Levels’ is a mammoth 63 levels lower on the ARIA countdown, slumping from No.24 to No.87.
Cardi B’s ‘Be Careful’ is down 18 (No.70 to No.88), Liam Payne & Rita Ora’s ‘For You’ is down 16 (No.73 to No.89), but Ed Sheeran’s latest single ‘Happier’ makes its way back into the countdown (albeit with a shiny new double platinum certification) at No.91.
The big drops for Avicii’s tracks continue, with ‘Without You’ plunging 56 places to No.92.
G-Eazy’s ‘Him & I’ is down 20 (No.74 to No.94), while Avicii’s ‘Hey Brother’ loses more than 62 places and is now gone from the ARIA top 100.

ALBUMS
With a staggering 19 songs inside the top 100 (17 of them within the top 50), there’s really no other artist who could claim the No.1 position on the ARIA albums chart this week than Post Malone.
Though his 2016 debut album ‘Stoney’ could only manage No.5 down under, his sophomore album is smashing the sales charts across the planet. And it follows suit here.
Following its dominance of the UK album chart overnight, ‘Beerbongs & Bentleys’ is now Australia’s No.1 album. And in debuting in top spot, it also holds off some serious chart contenders.
First and foremost, of course, is Australia’s own Keith Urban.
His new album ‘Graffiti U’ premieres strongly at No.2, not quite able to replicate the No.1 success of its predecessors, 2013’s ‘Fuse’ and 2016’s ‘Ripcord’.
Missy Higgins follows, with a No.3 debut for her new album ‘Solastalgia’. It’s Missy’s second successive No.3 album, following on from 2014’s ‘Oz’.
We then have ‘The Greatest Showman’ soundtrack at No.4, followed by Ed Sheeran’s ‘÷’.
Two more top ten debuts follow in the form of Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples’ ‘Campfire’ (No.6) and DMA’s ‘For Now’ (No.7); the latter the Sydney band’s highest chart position to date.
With all this action higher up, J Cole’s ‘KOD’ checks out of the No.1 position, falling to No.8 in week two.
Janelle Monae just misses the ARIA top ten on debut with her latest long player ‘Dirty Computer’ (new at No.12). The good news for the US soul star, however, is that it’s her highest ever chart position in Australia.
A Perfect Circle lose 11 places with ‘Eat The Elephant’ (No.2 on debut to No.13), Post Malone’s previous album ‘Stoney’ finally achieves a gold certification (35,000 units) at No.14, while Samantha Jade’s ‘Best Of My Love’ is out of the top ten (No.6 on debut to No.17).
Sammi is the first of a trio of hot pop songstresses, followed up Anne-Marie’s album ‘Speak Your Mind’ (No.18 on debut) and Kylie Minogue’s ‘Golden’ (No.9 to No.19).
The Weeknd’s ‘My Dear Melancholy’ drops ten (No.11 to No.21), but Sam Smith’s ‘The Thrill Of It All’ is up from No.48 to No.24, no doubt thanks in part to the special Channel 9 screened after ‘The Voice’ during the week.
The Killers’ Australian tour has done wonders for sales of their best-of ‘Direct Hits’, which leaps from No.50 to No.33 on this week’s countdown. Their latest album ‘Wonderful Wonderful’ also benefits, up from No.71 to No.37.
But the new Elton John covers compilation ‘Revamp’ suffers a setback, tumbling 26 places to No.36.
Italian crooner Patrizio Buanne is in the country for a promotional visit and has confirmed a tour later in the year. His visit has resulted in a 43 place jump for his album ‘Italianissimo’ (No.83 on debut to a new peak of No.40).
Avicii’s ‘True’ re-entered the top 100 at No.13 last week following the DJ’s death. But it’s a long way down again this week, falling 36 places to No.49.
Jason Aldean’s ‘Rearview Town’ is also down again, from No.34 to No.50.
Right behind him – and on the other side of the top 50 gates – is Angus & Julia Stone’s album ‘Snow’, which leaps from No.76 to No.51.
Van Morrison and Joey Defrancesco premiere at No.54 with ‘You’re Driving Me Crazy’, right ahead of Godsmack’s ‘When Legends Rise’ (new at No.55).
But Lorde’s ‘Melodrama’ is down – a lot – from No.30 to No.60 and Elton John’s ‘Diamonds’ loses some chart sparkle, falling 22 to No.65.
‘Suicide Squad : The Album’ is up (No.90 to No.68), ‘ABBA Gold’ is back again (No.70 on re-entry) and Carole King’s classic ‘Tapestry’ weaves its way out of the top 100 slowly, dropping 19 to No.71.
Halsey’s ‘Badlands’ is down (No.57 to No.81), the ‘Stranger Things’ soundtrack is down 22 (No.67 to No.89), but Dami Im’s ‘I Hear A Song’ seemingly isn’t on the wish list of too many mums next Sunday, plunging 42 places to No.91.
Breaking Benjamin continue the cascade with their album ‘Ember’ (down 30 to No.94).
Neil Young’s ‘Roxy : Tonight’s The Night Live’ is the last of the top 100 new entries, coming in at No.97.
Gone from the top 100 after just one week in last week’s top 50 are TesseracT’s ‘Sonder’ (down more than 53 places), Sting & Shaggy’s ’44/876′ (down more than 62 places), Kimbra’s ‘Primal Heart’ (down more than 69 places) and the new Pennywise album ‘Never Gonna Die’, which already has, losing more than 82 places to be gone entirely from the top 100 after just one week.

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For a full run down of the ARIA top 50s, head over to the ARIA CHARTS WEBSITE every Saturday from 5:00pm AEDT.